Lace-fastener.



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APPLIGATION FILED JAH'M. 1910.

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CHARLES B. SMITII, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

LACE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application filed January 24, 1910. Serial No. 539,774.

To all whom it may concern:

n Be it known that I, CHARLES B. SMITH, -a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Grafton, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LaceeFasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to shoe lace holders and the object thereof is to provide a holder of such class in a manner as hereinafter set forth whereby the ends of the shoe lace will be securely held in position after the shoe has been laced so as to prevent the lace from coming loose.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a shoe lace holder which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, elicient in its use, conveniently used, readily attached to the upper of the shoe, and inexpensive to manufacture.

lith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the referred embodiment of the invention, but 1t is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views z-Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the shoe provided with a pair of holders in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the holders showing the same connected to the upper of the shoe, the upper being illustrated in section and broken away, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the holder, Fig. l is a front elevation of the socket forming member of the holder, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the holder showing the end of the lace secured therein, and Fig. 6 is an elevation of the clamping member of the holder. y

Referring to the drawings by reference characters 1 denotes the upper of a shoe and to which is attached a pair of holders 2, each of which is adapted to secure one end of the lace to prevent movement thereof after the shoe has been laced up whereby the lace cannot become loose.

A holder in accordance with this invention consists of a socket forming member 3, a clamping member 5 and a coupling member. The coupling member consists of a `shank S which is formed integral with the outer face of the inner portion of the socket member 3 and is provided with a pair of attaching arms which are adapted to eX- tend through the upper 1 and clench thereto as at 10, whereby the holder is fxedly secured to the upper.

The socket forming member 3 is substantially cup-'shaped and is formed with an inwardly-extending annular liange 11 to pro vide a contracted opening 12 through which extends the clamping member 5. The flange 11 has formed integral with its outer face a pair of outwardly-extending apertured lugs 4: between which projects an apertured eX- tension 13 formed integral with the periphery of the clamping member 5 at one side thereof. The extension 13 is hinged to the lugs 4 by the pintle 14.

The clamping member 5 is in the form of a button with an open inner portion. The clamping member 5 is crimped or split as at 6 and also contracted so that the inner portion l5 thereof will be of less diameter than the outer portion "and furthermore so that an annular shoulder 16 will be provided which when the clamping member 5 is swung to clamping position will oppose the free edge 18 of the iiange 11.

The ends of the lace are indicated by the reference character 7, and each end is adapted to be positioned within the socket forming member 3 as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so that when the clamping member 5 is swung into the socket 3, it will not only engage the end of the lace 7, but will also frictionally engage the edge of the flange 11 and clamp the end of the lace to the holder, whereby one terminus of the shank, and each adapted tracted entrance to said member, a hollow member having its inner portion crimped and contracted to constitute a clamp adapty ed to extend through said opening for clamping a lace against the edge of the flange, a pair of apertured lugs formed integral with the outer face of said iange, a lateral extension projecting from the outer portion of said hollow member, and means for hinging the free end of the extension to said lugs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. SMITH. lVitnesses Jol-IN STEPHANY, KARL H. BUTLER. 

